Shoulders
The main muscle group listed for this exercise.
Exercise guide
Arnold Dumbbell Press
Arnold Dumbbell Press is an intermediate-level shoulder exercise performed with dumbbells. It also involves the arms.
Dumbbell
The equipment listed for this variation.
Intermediate
The recorded setup and movement complexity.
Shoulders
Arnold Dumbbell Press also involves arms.
Strength
Movement pattern: press. This is a compound exercise.
Intermediate
This level reflects the setup and movement complexity recorded for this exercise.
Instructions
How to do Arnold Dumbbell Press
- Sit on an exercise bench with back support and hold two dumbbells in front of you at about upper chest level with your palms facing your body and your elbows bent. Tip: Your arms should be next to your torso. The starting position should look like the contracted portion of a dumbbell curl.
- Now to perform the movement, raise the dumbbells as you rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward.
- Continue lifting the dumbbells until your arms are extended above you in straight arm position. Breathe out as you perform this portion of the movement.
- After a second pause at the top, begin to lower the dumbbells to the original position by rotating the palms of your hands towards you. Tip: The left arm will be rotated in a counter clockwise manner while the right one will be rotated clockwise. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Related workouts
Workout templates that use this exercise.
If you want to see this movement inside a more complete training session, start here.
Shoulder Workout
A shoulder session built around pressing and higher-rep delt work.
View workout3-Day Full Body Split
A three-day split that spreads total weekly work across three full-body sessions.
View workout4-Day Upper Lower Split
A simple four-day split that gives each half of the body two quality sessions each week.
View workoutRelated exercises
More exercises in the same lane.
Use these when you want a similar movement pattern, a different setup, or more exercise options for the same target area.
Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press
Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press is an intermediate-level shoulder exercise performed with dumbbells. It also involves the arms and back.
View exerciseDumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press is an intermediate-level shoulder exercise performed with dumbbells. It also involves the arms and back.
View exerciseBarbell Shoulder Press
Barbell Shoulder Press is an intermediate-level shoulder exercise performed with a barbell. It also involves the chest, arms, and back.
View exercisePush Press - Behind the Neck
Push Press - Behind the Neck is an intermediate-level shoulder exercise performed with a barbell. It also involves the legs and arms.
View exerciseRelated tools
Related calculators for this exercise.
Use these calculators when you want to connect the exercise itself to calories, protein, strength targets, or training volume.
FAQ
Common questions about Arnold Dumbbell Press.
What muscles does Arnold Dumbbell Press work?
Arnold Dumbbell Press primarily trains the shoulders and also involves the arms.
Is Arnold Dumbbell Press beginner-friendly?
It is listed as intermediate.
What equipment do I need for Arnold Dumbbell Press?
This variation uses dumbbells.
Track this exercise for free in Logbook.
Once the movement is in your plan, use Logbook to record sets, reps, load, and progress without guessing what happened last week.